Put your multi-lingual instructions online now and save a ton of money!

Here’s how to make multi-lingual instructions available to your end-users with minimal or even no additional re-printing of labels or instructions. (While Picktre and Linkz can make below much simpler, faster and probably cheaper – many of you asked for instructions on how to do this manually – so here you go!)

If you sell products into different countries – getting them instructions can be costly. First, you have the efforts and costs to create multi-lingual instructions and data sheets. Then you must get them into the hands of the end-user. Don’t get me started on the printing and logistic costs and headaches. But there’s a simpler way.

Using “triggers” like links (URLs), QR codes or even the EAN bar-codes can make your communication efforts so much simpler. Now that all phones (iOS and Android shortly) can natively read QR codes – it’s time you re-looked at how they can make your customers lives easier – and yours so much simpler. Your end-users can scan a trigger and get important info immediately! Instead of having to manage, update, reprint and deliver stacks of documents – let your end-users access them in the most convenient way possible – from their phones!

The instructions below seem (and are) a bit complicated – but once you’ve created the first mobile friendly site – the following product sites are much easier.

Here’s how to start delivering your instructions via QR codes:

Create a responsive web page (you do have a responsive web-site – right?) on your site – title this page with the product name and language – like: “Cool Widget – EN”.

Follow their instructions and make a pretty QR code. No need to make boring black and white codes anymore!

Now you have your QR code that links to your page (also called the “Payoff”) you made above.

Go ahead and scan it with the iOS 11+ photo app or iOS Chrome web browser. Android user will shortly have ability to scan natively but for now – you may need to install a QR scanning app.

To create the second, third etc. language version – repeat above for each language. Each extra payoff will become easier once you have the master payoff created. So be sure to make that master payoff correct!

Now to inform your end-users about all the new information they have access to! This is important – you can’t forget or neglect this step! The simplest and cheapest way is to email your users with a CTA (Call to Action) and a link to the Payoff page. Describe the content of the payoff to get users interested. Talk about the uniqueness of the info – video is a great feature and if you’ve added a video clip – say so! Simply inform the user to click on the link when viewing on their phone. Other ideas are:

Create a half-page flyer with a CTA and the QR code. Add the flyer to the shipment.

When you need to re-print the label – you can now add the QR directly on the label – don’t forget the CTA!

The above process can be hard – and thankfully, there are agencies that specialize in these sorts of solutions. Like Picktre and Linkz. We’ve done lots of projects helping companies reach end-users – both consumers and B2B end-users. We have a bunch of tricks up our sleeves to make the whole process of getting your content online as painless as possible. We make the whole payoff creation super simple. And doing multi-lingual is a a piece of cake – or brioche if you prefer. We all sorts of experience creating innovative solutions tailored to individual companies – especially B2B companies. We can even make you bar-code a trigger so there is no need to work with QRs! If you ‘d like to know more – drop us a line.